How to Practice Holistic Self-Care

Do you feel like you are living your life energetically and enthusiastically, or are you wondering how you are supposed to find all of the energy to get everything done?
 
If you’re on the struggle bus in the energy department, you may be in need of some soul-filling self-care.

Know that you are not alone. Many of us struggle with this from time-to-time. We’ve got to fill ourselves up in order to keep giving in the way that we want to.
 
We know this. But we are so busy that we don’t do it.
 
The problem with this is:
1)     We become grumpy and unhappy. And stressed.
2)    This creates conflict and strain in our relationships.
3)    We are not present in the moments with our loved ones, and so we miss out on what is currently happening.
 
So, we’ve got to start taking care of ourselves in mind, body, heart and soul so that we can experience peace and joy in the present moment.

Tune into this episode of the podcast to learn a life-changing method for holistic self-care that is so simple, you can start today! I can’t wait to share it with you!

P.S. I have a special gift for you that goes specifically with this podcast, it is a list of the different scriptures I reference and your prescription for holistic self-care. You an access it HERE.

If you would like more inspiration, download my Ultimate Guide to Guilt-Free Self-Care HERE!

And join us in the Life Designed Community on Facebook!

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to A Life Designed.
 
My name is Tina Haisman. I teach busy moms how to get everything done and still have time and energy for themselves. My passion is for helping women create more heart-to-heart connection with their husband and children so they can feel deeply fulfilled in those most important relationships.
 
The topic of today’s podcast is How to Practice Holistic Self-Care
 
But before we get started I want to let you know I have a FREE private group on Facebook where you can come to get inspiration for your life. It’s called A Life Designed. It’s actually a happy place on facebook. I hope you’ll join us!
 
Also, I have created a free download call the Ultimate Guide to Guilt-Free Self-Care. I’m really proud of this guide. It’s a Guide to help you take care of yourself in mind, body and spirit so you can feel like your best self every day. Visit my website tinahaisman.com to download it.
 
Now let’s Dive IN and talk about How to Practice Holistic Self-Care
 
I’d like to share a quick story to illustrate.
 
When I was a younger mom, and my children were little I found myself one morning at 5 a.m. sitting on the side of my bathtub in the dark. I had just gotten up for the day and was getting ready to go work out.
 
It was only 5 a.m. But already, I felt Sad. Depressed. Lonely. Depleted. Exhausted.
 
As I sat there, I whispered to God in the darkness, “God. I don’t think I can do this today.”
 
How could that be? What could possibly be wrong? I was married to my prince charming. We lived in a beautiful home in Florida. We were healthy. Our kids were healthy.
 
I was able to stay home and do some freelance writing to help support our budget and keep my career going. It appeared I had everything I ever wanted.
 
So, why then, was I feeling this way? Why was I living life in survival mode instead of thriving?
 
As I spoke to my friends about this, they said things like, “You have to take care of yourself. Schedule some time alone. Go get a massage or something.”
 
A massage sounded like a great idea, so I arranged it and went to a lovely spa.
 
Once I was laying on the massage table, I started crying. Just releasing all of the stress. Ugh. How did I get this stressed out? This crabby? I didn’t like who I was being.
 
I remember as I was lying on my stomach, the therapist was massaging my arms from my shoulder down to my fingertips.
 
As she did that I imagined all of the toxins and negativity breaking up and being pushed out of my finger tips.
 
It felt so good. So purifying. I actually didn’t want to go home after the massage.
 
I didn’t feel ready to go back into the real world. I was right about that. The bliss from my massage didn’t last more than two minutes of arriving back home, when I got back into my real world.
 
This was so frustrating, and scary. If taking time for myself by getting a massage didn’t make me feel better, what on earth would?
 
What I learned through that experience is that I needed to do a better, more consistent job of taking care of myself so that I could experience true wellness. But I didn’t know exactly what that meant.
 
And so I set out on an adventure to find out. And I discovered a formula for self-care that I would like to share with you tonight.
 
But first, what is Self-Care?
 
Here’s one definition of self-care that I love: Self-care is about being good stewards of our bodies, minds, and souls in order to become the best version of ourselves. Sounds a little like Matthew Kelly, huh?
 
That made me wonder, what does the bible say about self-care?
 
Well
 

• Many times throughout the Gospels, Jesus retreated from everyone else to rest alone or to pray by Himself (Mark).

 

• Jesus encouraged others to rest, like when He told Martha not to be anxious about the housework, but to come relax with Him (Luke).

 
These moments recorded thousands of years ago were not included haphazardly. They are a part of Scripture for a reason. Jesus is the Way for us, and that way includes making time for self-care.
 
I think the bible also tells us that self-care is not just about us. It’s about our loved ones and the community around us.
 
Matthew 23:25-26 says, Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and plate, that the outside also may be clean.
 
How do we practice holistic self-care?
 
I found some awesome guidance in the bible.
 
Bear with me for a moment while I set it up
 
The passage of Matthew 6:25-34 begins by saying
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.
And it ends by saying … But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
 
And THAT is the key.
 
If we start there with self-care, we will be on the path of wholeness.
 
As far as how to practically live this out, fear not. I’ve got you.
 
Mark 12:30 says Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
 
If we are called to love God with those 4 things, then we need to make sure we take care of those 4 aspects of ourselves.
 
I think this is where some of us miss the mark.
 
We wait to do self-care until we are completely burned out.
 
And, we don’t spend time on some self-care items that go further than skin-deep.
 
True self-care begins and ends with God. Holistic self-care with God draws us back to him.
 
In order to do that, we’ve got to incorporate mind, body, heart and soul.
 
So I thought we could take a look at them tonight.
 
Self-Care for our Heart …
1 Samuel 16:7 says The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
 
So how do we work to cultivate a peaceful and joyful heart for the Lord to see?
 

1. Spend quality time with your family or friends
2. Call a friend or set up a video call
3. Journal
4. Be kind to yourself
5. Do something kind for someone else
6. Spend time with a pet
7. Write a letter to someone you love

 
Soul.
Matthew 5:13 says “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
 
And so it’s important to take care of our souls to be continually restored in our faith and purpose.
 
We are here to be a light to the world! We must be spiritually fed in order to accomplish our purposes.
 
What are some ways to care for our souls?

1. Mass
2. Adoration
3. Prayer
4. Meditation – focusing on a piece of scripture that is fulfilling to you
5. Spend time in nature, go for a hike or hit the beach
6. If you’re artistic, create something – music, art …
7. Reconciliation

 
Taking care of our Mind
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
 
Some ideas to take care of our mind

1. Practice thinking better thoughts
2. Read for pleasure
3. Listen to music
4. Take a class
5. Journal about gratitude
6. Give it a break – relax
7. Do a brain dump

 
Self-Care for our Body
3 John 1:2 says Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
 
So here we are seeing that caring for our body and soul is noted in the bible from one disciple to another.
 
What are your ideas?

1. Get a massage
2. Go for a walk – even if it’s cold
3. Get up and get active – dance around or exercise
4. Eat a healthy meal
5. Drink a glass of water
6. Practice good sleep habits
7. Take a bath

 
These are all really great ideas. These are things we all know.
 
But knowing and doing are two totally different things.
 
Simple Action Step for you tonight:
 
In each of these 4 categories – mind, body, heart and soul - make a list of at least 10 things that you would love to do for self-care.
 
Pick 1 thing from each category to do every day so you have an intentional holistic self-care routine.
 
If you will take the time to focus on your self-care:
1. You will feel like you have time and energy for all you need to do.
2. You will feel happier & less resentful  & experience more joy.
3. You will show up as the person you want to be.
 
Thank you.
 
If this topic resonated with you, and you’re ready to stop beating yourself up so you can feel better and enjoy your life more, let’s set up a time to chat. Message me so I can help you.
 
In the meantime. Remember! I have created the Ultimate Guide to Guilt-Free Self-Care to help you feel like your best self every day. You will find it on my website.
 
Don’t forget to join the Life Designed Community on Facebook!
 
Thank you! See you next week!